Until the Break of Dawn
by Bohemian Bostonian
Summary: Hogwarts is about to close because of the kidnapping of a little girl by the monster of the Chamber of Secrets. My idea of how the staff (and students) cope while Harry and Ron are down there. **PREVIOUSLY CALLED 'WHAT IF'**
1. Breaking the news to staff & Slytherins

**A/N: This is just my imagination working here, nothing dumb or Mary-Sue implied (Although I did have to wing it with a few names of the professors. Hehee! Also, my McGonagall may be a bit OOC in the beginning, and come to think of it, Snape is probably the same, but frankly, I don't care. I never really liked imagining her as a strict old maid, personally. The same with Snape and his "Grrrr I'm a meanie, leave me alone" act. Maybe around the students, but not the teachers.) Heh heh, but it's about time I wrote something, don't you agree? Kay, I'm done blabbering, so enjoy!!! Oh, and review if you want to! So sorry the first chapter is extremely short though. I promise they will get longer! Toodaloo!  
  
Disclaimer: It's not mine, and if it were, I'd envy myself.. harr.  
"Oh, how could this have happened?" Minerva McGonagall thought to herself, rushing to the staff room to break the news to her fellow professors.  
  
A student, taken down to die in the Chamber of Secrets. Trapped forever. But not just a student, a Gryffindor. Her Gryffindor. One of her precious Gryffindors.  
  
Although Minerva wasn't half as bad as say, a one, Severus Snape, she did feel a little more compassion and understanding toward a Gryffindor than any other house. And she did gloat a bit at the end-of-term staff parties when Gryffindor won the House Cup (which almost didn't happen last year, and would have resulted in Severus yet again gaining bragging rights about Slytherin, had Albus not intervened at the last moment. But no matter the case, she was just as guilty at favoritism as Meredith or Filius.)  
  
But it also wasn't just one of her Gryffindors, but little Ginny Weasley. The poor thing. Minerva was devastated over the whole ordeal, and allowed a tear to slip from her eyes. If she reacted like this, then good Merlin, how would Arthur and Molly react to all of this?! With these thoughts, she stepped into the staff room, which became immediately silent, to break the news to her collegues.  
  
* * * *  
  
Slytherin..  
  
Walking down to the Slytherin Common Room, Severus Snape pondered over the news his friend and former professor had told him a bit earlier. Ginny Weasley, the small, timid, defenseless little girl who had never hurt anyone in her entire life, dead. Captured by a terrifying monster to rot in a dark chamber for the rest of eternity.  
  
"If only we knew where the entrance was!" Snape thought to himself. He couldn't say that he was unable to go on living when he learned of this whole situation, but he really was quite saddened by all of it. No one, child or adult, Slytherin or Gryffindor, or anyone should ever have to go through something like this.  
  
"Her poor family," he thought. Then, "Ugh! Did I just say that about the Weasleys?! Oh well, it's true, I guess.."  
  
"Hello," he said, stepping into his old familiar Common Room. "There has been an-incident-involving a first year student and the Chamber of Secrets. You are to stay here, not to leave for whatever the reason. This includes all prefects. If I find out any one of you has disobeyed me, your great- grandchildren will still be serving your detentions. The school will most likely close; so do prepare your things for an early release. That is all, I must go. I will be back within an hour to check on you. If there is an emergency, send an owl. It will know where to find me." He said to them, and walked back out. Indeed, Minerva did request that they return to the staff room as soon as possible.  
  
"On second thought," he mused, "maybe I will run upstairs to see Poppy about a headache. No doubt that idiotic, pathetic excuse for a man, monkey's ass Lockhart is still there, and if provoked, I'm likely to hit him. Heh heh," he added to himself, "Monkey's ass. I'll have to tell that one to Minerva."  
  
He and Minerva had been having a year-long contest to see who could come up with the funniest and rudest insult to say to Professor Lockhart. He still hadn't caught on. Severus believed Minerva was still winning though, when she found an old book in the library of, he couldn't believe it, pirate insults, which she had immediately picked through and discovered the best one: "Go walk the PLONK ye scurvy tub o-lard...Give 'im twenty lashes o' the Cat!"  
  
They had spent hours in front of the staff room fire, in absolute hysterics over the whole thing. Yes, those were good times. There were a lot of things he was going to miss about this place, should it really close, and close for good.  
  
Suddenly, Severus Snape grinned a huge grin, thinking of his and Minerva's contest, and how thick Lockhart was being about the whole thing. A random thought passed through his mind, of a toothless Gilderoy Lockhart rolling on the floor and he, Severus Snape, triumphantly smirking above him. Oh, if only life was that good.  
  
"He could say goodbye to that Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award of his. Yes, if only," he muttered to himself. "If only.."  
  
With that, Severus Snape headed upstairs. 


	2. Telling Hufflepuff

A/N: Here's chapter numero dos! I have guard for a while, so updating might be a little on the slow side of things, but I'll get it done, I promise! HUGE (see how big it is?) thanks to my very first reviewer, Ugo! *glows in appreciation*. you rawk my socks off!!!! Oh, and sorry again for the lack of length! I promise, after the first initial chapters, they WILL GET LONGER!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: *looks over legal documents* Nope, still not mine. Shucks..  
  
Telling Hufflepuff :  
  
Meredith Sprout headed toward her Hufflepuff Common Room slowly. She was terribly saddened about Ginny Weasley. The poor, innocent child. She barely even had a chance to live. And poor Arthur and Molly. Their only daughter, dead. She was so young, so very young.  
  
She sighed, knowing that if it had been one of her darling grandchildren, she just wouldn't be able to go on. Her daughter lived in France and sent two of her three children, Shannon and Dillan, to Beauxbatons. Alexia, the youngest, would be starting in another year. Meredith loved what she did, but she enjoyed nothing more than to spend her summers with her beautiful grandbabies. She sighed again and suppressed a sob; she had to stay strong.  
  
She whispered their password ("Friendly feet!") and slowly stepped into the room. Her poor Hufflepuffs, they must be so sad and scared, and now they would have to leave, possibly never to return. Oh, this was so awful.  
  
Immediately upon entry, she was bombarded with questions, which she was able to silence with a wave of her hand before they got too out of control. She walked to the wrap-around couch and sat down, motioning for the students to come and do the same. Some of the older students climbed right next to her, but most just stayed down at her feet, listening intently to what she had to say.  
  
"Children," she began, urging herself to stay calm and collected, "there has been an awful accident involving a first-year student and the Chamber of Secrets. Don't worry, Diggory, they are not in Hufflepuff House." She added, seeing the boy's eyes start to dart around in a panic. He relaxed visibly at her words, but still seemed very worried.  
  
"As I was saying," she smiled, "the school, because of this, will be forced to close its doors, at least for the time being." Some first-years began to whimper at this, and some older ones as well.  
  
"Shhh, it's ok. No one will hurt you, you are still safe here, and I will never let anything bad happen," she bent down and pulled a few students closer to her.  
  
"But for right now, I must be getting back to help Professor McGonagall and the rest of the teachers in school matters. I will be back fairly soon, but in the meantime, please stay here where you are protected. Prefects, this includes you. Your duty right now is here with your housemates, comforting and supporting them, and I trust that you will fulfill this responsibility until I get back. I will see you as soon as I can, children."  
  
With that, she stood to leave. Another whimper and a sob, however, had her gently rocking a frightened first-year in her arms again.  
  
Cedric Diggory walked over to aid his Head of House, and she smiled at him gratefully. Only once more did she turn around, to the voice of Cedric calling,  
"Professor Sprout, if you don't mind me asking, who was the student?"  
  
She sighed, squeezing her eyes shut. "Ginny Weasley."  
  
A/N two: The names I used for Professor Sprout's grandchildren are the names I want to name my own kids when I get married, and I needed quick names (I was in study hall when I loaded this, hehee!) so those are what I used. Also, the pirate joke in the first chapter is a REAL JOKE! lol, I got it from a thing my friend told me to download from a site called "S.I.G. 3.0" and can be downloaded from www.andybailey.net (I think it still can be found here, I downloaded it a looong time ago!) So don't anyone sue me because it wasn't disclaimed (disclaimered?? Lol!) in the previous chapter, thanks! (And even if you did sue me, its not like you'd actually get anything, I'm 15 and in highschool. I rest my case...) 


	3. Ravenclaw Learns

**A/N: Yeah, ok, so I haven't updated in a while. But because I haven't been getting too many reviews, this has taken a backseat in my transportation vehicle of things to do. Ok, cheesy, I know, but it's true none-the-less. Now, before we get to it, I feel that I need to clear up some confusion. Although I am open to most ships (within reason) and do not flame any stories I read (I can't make myself do it, it's mean and it crushes people's confidence) I would not now nor would I EVER turn this into a MM/SS fic. I'm not against that particular ship, and I like both those characters, but I just can't bring myself to do it. If anything, I believe it would become a MM/AD story (which, at this point, it is in fact turning into, in my head.) Kay, well, I'm done (for now, MWAHAHAHAHHAAA!!!!) So, enjoy! And look for LOTS of updates this weekend, because I am totally free to write, write, write!! (YAY!) I promise on my Harry Potter books that I will post AT LEAST two more chapters, or you can send me flames galore!  
  
P.S. Thank you to ugo, Triforce Knight, LinZE and petriebird18! You guys rock my socks off!  
  
Disclaimer (almost forgot, again!): *Looks at DNA results* Nope, still not JKR, which means it's still not mine. I swear..  
  
NOW ON WITH THE STORY!!!!  
  
"Ok," Filius Flitwick thought to himself, the reason he was Head of Ravenclaw house shinig through yet again. "Let's think about this rationally. No need to get hysterical just yet.."  
He quickly made his way down the long corridor, which was surprisingly fast indeed, considering the length of his legs. He had adapted very well over the years, improving his ability to maneuver through the throngs of students in between classes.  
  
"And I won't let it be for nothing, damnit," he whispered. "I just won't." He stepped into the Ravenclaw common room a few minutes later, and as he expected, was bombarded with questions:  
  
"What happened, Professor?!" "Is someone hurt?" "Did someone die?!" "Did they finally catch the guilty party?" "Is Professor Dumbledore back?" "I'm missing my favorite class!" "Are we in danger?" "Are we being sent home?" "Is quidditch back on?" "MY FAVORITE CLASS!!!!!"  
Professor Flitwick held up his hand to silence them, just as Cho Chang opened her mouth again to reveal the horror of missing her favorite class. "I understand, Miss Chang," he said. She blushed and shut her mouth. "However," he continued, "It has come to the attention of the teachers that a child has-has been-" he choked. "Go on, Professor," a seventh year urged gently. "Yes, well, it has come to the attention of the staff that a student has been taken. To the Chamber of Secrets, by the monster itself. Please, stay calm. No one, including the prefects or Head Girl, is to leave this room or their dormitory. Be prepared to head home tomorrow morning. And please, children, for my sake and for the sake of the future, no matter what happens to you in your lives, make sure that do three things: Challenge yourself and everything around you, every day. Strive to learn as much as you possibly can, and remember. Remember those with whom you shared your darkest and brightest times of your life. Remember Hogwarts, as it was before these terrible events. Remember the friends you had here, and most importantly, remember how very much you were loved. I must go, but I will be checking up on you shortly. Owl me if anything happens to get out of hand. Please know that this offer is open for tonight, and for the rest of your lives. Try to rest tonight, and remember little Ginny Weasley, so tragically taken from us on this day."  
With that, tears running down his face, Professor Flitwick turned and left, leaving his shocked Ravenclaw students to realize the extent of their situation.  
  
A/N 2: Ok, so I'll be getting to my damned biology project now (human body systems, BALGH!) But I'll take a few breaks every now and then, to write some more of the next chapter, where all the students will meet in the staff room, to reminisce, to laugh, to cry. yea yea, ok, sappy. Don't rub it in. But I swear, this is where the story really starts. I promise! The next chapter after that, the whole school will probably be in the Great Hall. Ok, I'm done, Read and Review, please! You'll make my day, after suffering through biology, of which I loathe entirely. (Yes, ok, so I stole that mini-line saying thing from The Grinch (the Jim Carey version.) But I couldn't help it, I love that movie and I just watched it.) 


	4. Minerva Tells Gryffindor

A/n: YAAAY! Go me, it's my birthday! Not really, I'm just happy aboot updateen rellie fast! *world-famous updation dance* Uhm, ok, so.. In this chapter, we see, well, I'm not gonna tell u, go read it yourself! Look for updations practically every day, save Thursday, when I have guard practice! But then there's only 2 more after that! And the weekends are crowded, but I swear I will be better! Write on the morning on the bus, add some finishing touches when I get home, or when I have a spare moment, and type type type as soon as I finish HW! That's the game plan, m'kay? Readdddyyyyy.. BREAK! Ok, I'm done. Sorry..... BTW, LinZE, here's your Minerva stuff! (She's my favorite, too.) Speaking of, if you don't like the way I portrayed her in this chapter, tough shit, I'm not changing my view of her. I never was the one to see her as a cold-hearted bitch, anyway. Moving on, in the next chapter I promise you. FLUFF! Yay! Specifically: AD/MM fluff! (at least, the beginnings of it. Some past reminiscing, most likely.) Ok, so anyway, without further ado from the blabbering author, ZE FIC!  
  
Disclaimer, again: NOT.MINE!!!!! (emphasis on the "not") A-Thank A-Yew!  
  
She began at a walk, quickly changed to a brisk speed walking of sorts, and before she knew it, ended in a sprint up the stairs leading to the Gryffindor common room. All that was going through Minerva Mcgonagall's head was one word: Weasley's. She had to get to them, to break the news that their darling little sister, who everyone held a soft spot for, ("Even Severus," she thought to herself, "although he would never admit to it.") wouldn't be going home. For just a moment, right in the beginning, she thought about putting a little faith into Gilderoy, but changed her mind when she heard the noises coming from his office. If it had been under any other circumstances, she would have killed him. He was running away from the needs of an innocent eleven-year-old girl. He shamed the name of teacher.  
  
As she approached the Fat Lady's portrait, she heard concerned chatter and comforting words being spoken to some of the first year students. She smiled forlornly. Yes, those were her Gryffindors. She was so proud, so very proud. Sighing, she whispered the password, shaking her head a bit. No doubt the Head Boy had been bullied into this one, most likely from a Weasley, or maybe even a Jordan. As the words, "Snakes stink like rotten eggs" left her mouth, the entire common room became uncharacteristically quiet.  
  
"Hi," she managed to whisper.  
  
"Professor McGonagall, what's going on?" Dean Thomas asked.  
  
"I need anyone with the surname 'Weasley' to follow me, please," she said quietly. With that, four redheaded boys, two identical to the last freckle and all equally white, followed her back into the corridor.  
  
"Professor, if this is about the password for this week, it was all Lee's idea, we swear." Said one of the twins; she thought it was Fred, but she couldn't be positive.  
  
"Yes, and next week, we swear we can make it to be, 'Professor McGonagall is a bloody brilliant teacher and transfiguration rocks' just please, no detention with Filch!" said George quickly.  
  
"No, it's not about the password," ("Oh," said George) "although I must admit, I like the idea," she said. "Boys, it's about your sister-"  
  
"My God," Percy said, "has she been Petrified?" You could see the fear in his eyes as he spoke.  
  
"No, she has been-" she choked. Ron laid a comforting hand on hers, and the way he was looking at her, she could have sworn that he already knew.  
  
"Boys," she began again, "Ginny was, well, taken by the monster into the Chamber of Secrets. I'm so sorry."  
  
Ron's head fell, Fred gasped, George kept mouthing, "No" and Percy half-suppressed a sob that wrenched at Minerva's heart. She quickly pulled him to her and hugged him as he began to cry.  
  
"Darlings," she said softly, "I'm so, so sorry. It's alright to cry for her, you know. No one will think the lesser of you." No sooner had the words left her mouth, than George flung his arms around his older brother, crying. She hugged him as well, and within a few minutes, her protecting embrace was comforting the remaining two boys.  
  
After a few minutes longer, she gently and slowly pulled away from them. "I have to tell the others," she whispered. "Would you like me to tell the who it was, or would you like to tell them yourselves? It's up to you."  
  
"You do it," Percy said quickly. "Professor, I- I'd like to go and owl Mum and Dad, but then I swear, I'll come straight back. Please?" She nodded her approval, and he walked away. Turning to the remaining three, she said,  
  
"You're welcome to come inside with me now, or wait a moment until I leave."  
  
"We'll wait," Ron said. "That way, people are more likely to listen to you, and not stare at us."  
  
"Alright. If you need me, don't hesitate to ask," she said, and turned to go and speak to the rest of her charges.  
  
She stepped into the common room to utter silence, yet again.  
  
"Hello," she said again. "As you're well aware, in this dark time at Hogwarts, Gryffindor has been hit exceptionally hard. A force unknown to us all has harmed three of our number: Mr. Colin Creevy, a first-year student, our own house ghost, Nearly-Headless Nick, and Miss Hermione Granger, a bright second-year. Now we must add another name to this list. Ginny Weasley has been taken from us by the monster of the Chamber of Secrets, taken straight to the Chamber itself. "You will be sent home after a quick breakfast tomorrow morning. You are all to remain here, no matter what, until that time. Dinner will be served at six o'clock, and will last for an hour. Please be considerate of the Weasleys during their time of such sadness, and remember the bright young child that Ginny Weasley was. If you are in need of a teacher and the Head Boy cannot handle the situation, send an owl and myself or another Professor will be here shortly. I will be back to check on you soon. But no matter what happens, I am proud of you all." She finished.  
  
How she was able to get all of that out despite the growing lump in her throat was beyond her. For that matter, the fact that she was able to say all out without one form of interruption surprised her. Suppressing a sob, she turned and stepped back out of the portrait hole. Hugging the four Weasley boys yet again, (for yes, Percy had indeed returned) she began her slow march back to the staff room, stopping in her office on the way to write a quick letter to Arthur and Molly Weasley.  
  
A/N 2: I JUST HAD A GREAT IDEA!!!!! Instead of giving you AD/MM fluff next chapter, that will wait to be the chapter after that. Hehehehe, yes, I am evil, but trust me, it will be good (well, I hope!) Ok, the Sox are playing horribly (7-2, Yanks, BLAGH! I'm sorry all you New Yorkers, and I'm probably gonna get flamed for this, but the Yankees suck, and that's all there is to it. I'm a Boston Gal, through and through. Go on, flame it, you know you wanna. But when the day is done, oh, you know it's true.) Alright, I'm going to bed, I'm falling asleep at my computer station. PEACE! P.S. Review, please, I'll love ya forever! Come on, how hard is it to click that little purpley-lookin button? Thank You!!!! 


	5. At the Burrow

A/N 1: I don't have anything to say here, except thanks to my most faithful reviewer LinZE and to my new reviews: AngelDes1313 and also my new faithful reviewer, Minerva of Tortall (I take it you're a New Yorker? Well, OK, I'll lay off the Yankee stuff, but only because I value your review. Good game today. Hey, u leave that curse out of this! lol. Anyway, no, I'm definitely stickin' 2 the books on this one. Maybe next time it will be an AU fic, but then again, maybe not, I dunno.. And thanks for giving the real review, too. I appreciate it, and I'm glad u liked Minerva this way! P.S. Speedy Gonzales, lmao! Ahhh, that made my night. Thanks again for the other awesome comments, it's a good thing I read the first one and didn't automatically think, "Grrrrr, Yankee fan!" and blow ya off. Just Kidding! I would never do that to a review!) So, go on already! Read it, what're you waiting for me for?! Quit listening to me and READ!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I'm running out of creative and funny ways to say: I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER!!!!! I wish I did, but then again, I'm happy I don't, because then I couldn't be such a big fan. :D  
  
Molly Weasley was doing something that few other wizards would ever be caught doing: washing the dishes by hand. Oh, no, she didn't usually do it; there were far too many people living in her household for her to do it all the time. But on a night like this, when it was just she and Arthur, and her entire family wasn't home, she really didn't mind. It was rather peaceful.  
  
She smiled as she remembered the look on his face when he walked through the door. She knew that he would immediately be nervous, thinking to have forgotten some important date. Her assumptions were confirmed as he stuttered,  
  
"Ha-Happy anniversary, dearest."  
  
She smiled and shook her head.  
  
"It's not our anniversary, dear. I just thought I'd do something nice for you, because you've been working so very hard."  
  
"Oh, ok. Well, let's go and eat, and I can, umm, make it up to you later," he said, and took her hand and led her toward the kitchen.  
  
Candles lit the entire hallway leading to the kitchen, which was adorned with blinking lights lining the walls. Roses in the center of the table accented the good china that she had taken out to use, with the golden-colored border and the small roses decorating the middle parts. Neither noticed the old Grandfather clock on the wall whose hand representing Ginny had turned from 'school' to 'mortal peril.'  
  
"Go on, sit down," she urged, pushing him toward the chair. He could tell that she had made his favorite: roast pork with homemade mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, and homemade applesauce. He especially loved the applesauce.  
  
Ten minutes later, he was stuffing his face merrily with pork and applesauce.  
  
"I have the best wife ever!" he exclaimed, jumping up and spinning her around in circles. He had just spotted the big double-chocolate cake she had made.  
  
She laughed and yelled in mock-anger, "Arthur Weasley, put me DOWN," to which he agreed, but not without another plan in mind. Holding onto her wrist as she turned away, he spun her back to himself and held her tightly for a minute or two. He looked down at her for a moment, then kissed her lightly.  
  
She pulled away, looked at him for another second, and then kissed him back, this time with more force behind it. After a bit, he pulled away slowly and she whispered,  
  
"So how about that cake?"  
  
The dishes were just about done; all she had left to wash was their dinner plates. She picked them up and began to wonder just where Arthur had gotten to, when an owl flew into the window, carrying a letter sealed with the Hogwarts crest.  
  
"Just what have those boys gotten themselves into now?!" she said to herself, taking the letter from the animal's beak. Just as this owl flew out of the window, another glided in, this time carrying a letter, she recognized, with the handwriting of her eldest son attending Hogwarts, Percy. She opened the letter from Hogwarts first, meeting Minerva McGonagall's handwriting, a little messier than it usually seemed.  
  
"Strange," she thought to herself as she began to read:  
  
Arthur and Molly,  
I wish I could be writing to you under better circumstances, but unfortunately, I cannot. As you may or may not know, several Hogwarts students-specifically, muggle-born children-have been attacked and Petrified by an unknown monster in the school. It is with my deepest sympathy and regret that I inform you that the latest attack has not followed this pattern, but it is indeed your daughter Virginia that was the latest victim. A note was left saying that the monster has taken her straight to the Chamber of Secrets itself.  
Molly, Arthur, I am so sorry. Please, come to Hogwarts so we can speak in person.  
  
Sincerely,  
Professor Minerva McGonagall  
Acting Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
Emitting a loud sob, Molly Weasley collapsed to the kitchen floor in tears. Her husband, surprised by the sudden noise, immediately glanced up at the Grandfather clock, but gasped when he saw something he had never expected: the hand representing his daughter Ginny currently lay on 'mortal peril' and was growing dimmer. This could have only one meaning: she was dying. Without another thought, and blinded by forming tears, he rushed to go and console his wife.  
  
A/N 2: Whoo, I'm an updating machine, baby! lol. Ok, you know the routine, but in case you forget, REVIEW PLEASE! Thanks! Ok, I just finished watching Hitler, Rise of Evil so I'm off to bed! (Feel special, I typed this up during the commercials) so. NIGHTY-NIGHT! BTW: this chapter was my big idea, hope you liked it! I tried to throw in some fluff for ya, but the next chapter will have some AD/MM, for real this time. TOODALOO!  
  
A/N 3: I typed this last night, before ff.net started 2 act DUMB BEYOND REASON!!! So here you go, since it wouldn't let me upload last night. But it's here now, safe and sound. Enjoy! P.S. Ok, I'll leave this up for now, but I am definitely re-posting it when someone answers me this: how does one make the words italicized in word document, and make them STAY italicized, after one uploads? Please answer, because all the past-parts of this chapter are in italics, and it's confusing if they're not. Thanks! 


	6. Memories

A/N: Ok, first and foremost, thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing this story. I cannot say this enough! You guys rock the sock to the block, whoop! Sorry I broke my little updating-streak of a thing, but I was out of town, without access to a computer. So, I wrote a lot! Hence, this chapter is MUCH longer than those previous. But then I came back and slacked off real bad, but that's ok! To make up for it, this chapter is so fluffy I had to get out a vacuum cleaner so I could see past the damn stuff. It's FINALLY an AD/MM fic, whooooo!!!!!! Ok, two things: for some of the teachers' names, if I didn't know them, I gave them some that I thought sounded good. (And in the case of Madam Pince, I gave her a better one than 'Irma' because frankly I think it's a gross name. No offense if your name is Irma and you love it, or if you know anyone whose name is Irma and they love it, of course. I just don't like the way it sounds.) And I know that the timeline doesn't match in this, and I know that I threw some random characters (like Severus' parents) into the pot just for fun, but to tell you the truth, I don't really give a damn. Oh, and by the way, my plea for help is still out there: if anyone knows how to italicize words and then make them stay italicized, could ya help me? Tell me how to do it, and I'll love ya forever, yay! Thanks!!! (After I learn how to italicize, I'll repost this chapter and chapter five with the correct italicization, tehe.) Wow, this is a really long a/n.. daaaaaaaaamn!  
  
Thanks to Justin for inspiration in this chapter. ("Oh, you know it!") Specially dedicated to Mirta who leaves on Monday! WE LOVE YOU MIRTA!!!! SHRHS GUARD 4EVER!!!!!! (Ahhhh, dress-up. Good times, man. Goooood times!)  
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine, it's JKR's and Warner Brother's and whoever else that claims ownership of it, I don't own any rights to "Have I Told You Lately that I Love You," that one belongs to Rod Stewart, and I'm not originally responsible for naming Madam Hooch in this story either. It belongs to whoever came up with the idea of giving her the name 'Madeline' which I liked a lot. I saw it a story but I forget which one, I'm sorry! So if it's yours or you know whom it belongs to, then just email it to me or put it in the review and I'll put your story in the next chapter. (There, it gives you an excuse to do review now, bwahahahaaa! I win.) P.S. In case I really need to do this, I don't own lemon drops either. So don't sue!!!  
  
Ok, let's get moving already!  
  
*****************  
  
Back at Hogwarts, the professors sat in the mismatched, patch-worked staff room. Each piece of furniture, minus the carpeting and the big central coffee table, showed personality traits and interests specific to the person who belonged to it. Madeline Hooch's had quidditch balls zooming across it (along with everything else she owned) and when she sat down in it, it hovered a few inches off the ground.  
  
Filius Flitwick's chair was blue and black with ravens on it and was shorter than the rest in the room, but had legs that moved up as if controlled by a button whenever he sat down, so the top of his head was just about equal to the rest of the staff (except of course Hagrid's, whose huge chair was coincidentally adorned with carvings of some of the deadliest animals known to wizard-kind. Of course, no one on land or sea could convince him of this; he held firm to the belief that they weren't, "all that bad, once you know how to calm 'im." Most of the staff begged to differ.)  
  
Severus Snape's had little cauldrons that really bubbled and little snakes that really slithered around. In the center of the back of the chair was a picture of him in his fifth year with his best friends, Annabelle Hutchings and Patrick Lyons. It was quite a nice photograph of him, and one wouldn't guess that he was actually quite a candid person.  
  
Meredith Sprout's had vines growing from it that really wound around the legs of those sitting next to her, and every once and a while she needed to slap away a vine that tried to sneak up her shoulder. Filch had a chair, yes, and so did Felicia Pince, but they were barely ever seen in the staff room, only during full staff meetings.  
  
Poppy Pomfrey's had medical equipment depicted on it, Andrea Vector's said, "That Arithmancy Witch" on the back, since that was what most people called her; Aimee Sinistra's had stars that really shimmered, with moons and planets moving around a small sun. The words "Aimee Victoria Sinistra" were written in a beautiful cursive script in shining silver. She was quite proud of it. Lockhart, too, had a chair, of which he covered in photographs and newspaper articles of-of course-himself. ("Bloody moron, stealing other hardworking people's ideas," Snape growled to Minerva when he saw it.)  
  
But the best two chairs in the room probably belonged to that of Albus Dumbledore, who chose to depict every sweet he enjoyed eating. Lemon Drops could be seen about three dozen times. Minerva's was a deep rich red with golden trim and had golden lions on it, that let out little rowers every once and a while. Covering the back were photographs of every graduating class she had taught, which, although there were many, seemed to take up the same amount of room with each addition of a photograph. Severus greatly credited her for the idea of the picture on the back of his own chair.  
  
Seated in these chairs were eleven worried professors; everyone but Lockhart (and, of course, Dumbledore) was present, and Minerva was fuming.  
  
"That great bloody oaf, do you know what he's doing?! PACKING!! He's running away! I told Albus not to hire him, ooh I told him all right, but did he listen to me? Of course not! Does he ever? No! Didn't you hear me telling him, Meredith, didn't you here me tell him?!"  
  
"Yes, Min, yes. I heard you tell him a thousand times over," Meredith replied. "Now, just calm down hun, calm down. Just relax. Take a deep breath, go on.."  
  
"I-I just can't believe that this is happening. I can't do this without him, he's my best friend."  
  
"I know, I know.." Meredith replied dully.  
  
"Do you remember," Poppy began, "their wedding day?"  
  
"Who could ever forget?!" Madeline Hooch snorted. Minerva glared at her.  
  
"Honestly, it wasn't that bad, was it?" she said.  
  
"Yes!" was the unanimous reply.  
  
"Lord in Heaven, that was the funniest thing I have ever seen, and I was only five." Severus smiled, and they all slipped into a memory..  
  
*****************  
  
"Three hours!" a twenty-six year old Minerva McGonagall screeched to her friends Poppy Pomfrey, Madeline Hooch and Meredith Sprout, three of the four bridesmaids in her wedding, which was approaching in, coincidentally, three hours. "Three hours and no one in my family is here! Sophia is my damned Maid of Honor, where IS SHE?!"  
  
"Ok Min, ok. She'll be here, she's your big sister. She wouldn't miss this for the world. They're probably on their way right now." Madeline said softly.  
  
"You said that half an hour ago," she snarled. "Where-are-they?"  
  
"I-don't-know," she replied with the same tone, all in good fun, of course.  
  
"But what if they don't show? What if they're hurt, or they changed their minds and now suddenly disapprove? I can't do this without my family here."  
  
"Oh ye of little faith," a woman of about twenty-seven or so said, strolling into the room. Wearing a light blue dress with gold trim and lilacs braided into her curled and pinned up hair, leaving just a few loose strands to fall at her shoulders, the woman looked absolutely stunning.  
  
"Sophie!!!" Minerva squealed, hopping up to hug her sister, older than she by just a year.  
  
"Be careful, Soph, or you might be more beautiful than the bride today, and that wouldn't be good, as we all know." Madeline said quietly, but not quiet enough, because she earned a prompt pillow in the face.  
  
"I would never!" Sophie gasped. "Plus, that's impossible, even on a normal day."  
  
"I love you Sophie, you're the best sister ever."  
  
Dressed in a long but not too extravagant gown with spaghetti straps that branched out into double-straps in the middle but connected again on the ends, Minerva McGonagall was escorted down the isle, following her bridesmaids, to the alter where she would forever be joined with the man she loved more than anything in the world: Albus Dumbledore. Although he was six years older than her, it wasn't too big of a deal, in most people's eyes. But in the eyes of her father was another story. It had taken Albus a good long while to prove to him that he was more than capable of earning Minerva's love, and indeed, would always be there to protect her, no matter what. He was able to finally show his worth, and immediately Mr. McGonagall had slapped him on the back and said, "So, when's the wedding?" Albus, scared to death that he would be rejected if he didn't propose soon, moved his plan up a bit. This all happened four months ago.  
  
She smiled as she realized what she was walking to: the perfect life. The job she loved doing, the man she adored, the friends she could never replace, it was all too perfect. All the gold in Gringott's wouldn't call her away from what she was about to do.  
  
She walked past the faculty, past the friends and past the families without so much as a nod; all she was thinking about was getting to him. 'Why on earth must it take so damn long?' she thought to herself, but before she realized, her father kissed her hand and gave it to Albus to hold gently in his own.  
  
Her insides felt like snakes as the Minister of Magic ("God, I love connections," Albus thought.) began the ceremony:  
  
"Cherished friends and family, we come together today to see one of life's greatest gifts: the gift of true love. For it has indeed blessed the people who stand before us all today, asking you to bear witness as they take the next step of their undying love for one another, marriage."  
  
"May God be with him," said Anthony Lupin, sitting in the front row in between his wife and five-year-old son Remus. A few around him sniggered and his wife slapped him softly on the arm. If the Minister heard, he continued as if he didn't.  
  
"Now, the bride and groom have asked to recite their own wedding vows. Albus, if you please,"  
  
Albus hesitated for a moment, cleared his throat, and began.  
  
"Minerva," he said, "When I first met you, you seemed to mean more to me than just some silly first-year, and me a seventh-year, and Head Boy at that. You became my friend, a good friend, and I was able to have conversations with you that I couldn't have with my other friends of the time. You were always there for me, to listen when I needed you to, and in turn I was always there for you when you needed me as well. Then, I had to leave. Do you remember how we cried, that last night by the Common Room fire? How could I forget? Everything that I could ever want to know about you was revealed that night. How you were so pressured by your father and brothers to be perfect, how you were so overprotected, and at the same time looked over when it came to dealing with your younger sister, or so you thought. But at the same time, I realized that what sit in front of me, what I was about to leave was one of the most beautiful and brilliant human beings alive. When I came back to you in your sixth year, you had changed. You were no longer the small child I had hot chocolate with late Saturday nights, not by a long shot. But still, you ran to me and jumped straight into my arms. It was just like old times, except that I couldn't pick you up the way I used to. That night, we took a walk, and that was when I truly fell in love with you. I realized that there was no other person alive like you, and you understood me more than anyone ever had. I know you always will. I can't wait to begin the rest of my days with you, I love you."  
  
How on earth could she top that one? She couldn't, that's how. Crying, she did the only thing she could do. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak.  
  
"Albus, I can't even begin to top that speech, so I'm not even going to try. Of course I remember everything, how could I forget? The Common Room late-nights, the hot chocolate, the walk the night you returned, they're the best memories I have of school. It's strange, really, because I don't know exactly when I fell in love with you, one day I just realized that I had, and I would never trade that feeling for anything. This is the best thing I could ever imagine us doing, and I can hardly wait for the rest of my life, when every morning I wake up next to you with the realization that this incredible, amazing, perfect man is indeed my husband, and that I am the luckiest woman alive. I will always love you."  
  
There wasn't a dry eye in the room after that, not even on face of Nathaniel Snape, who hadn't cried since he was eight (or so he claimed.) The Minister of Magic smiled and said, "With these declarations of love, you begin to take your first steps into the world of marriage, forever together. Albus, to you take Minerva to be your wife and your wife alone, till death do you part?"  
  
"I do," he whispered, looking deep into her eyes and slowly slipping onto her finger a simple diamond ring with a band of white gold, engraved with the words 'MM and AD forever' inside.  
  
"And Minerva, do you take Albus to be your husband and your husband alone, till death do you part?"  
  
"I do," she said, and slipped onto his finger a matching silver band, thicker than hers, with the same engraving on the inside.  
  
She smiled at him as she heard the words, "you may now kiss the bride" behind her, and before she knew it, she was swept up in his arms, surrounded by his loving kiss. A few moments later they broke apart, and walked out of the Great Hall at Hogwarts amongst cheering and clapping (and for some, crying) from the attendants present. That was the last orderly thing that was to take place that night.  
  
Minerva and Albus walked back into the Great Hall about twenty or so minutes later, after having changed into clothing easier to socialize in: his a light blue set of dress robes that matched nicely with his eyes, made of lighter fabric so he would not get too hot while dancing and having a good time, and her into a white spaghetti-strapped dress that came down about two or so inches above her knee. Of course, it took her most of the time to find the damn thing, and how it ever got itself into the trunk at the foot of her bed was beyond her. But they finally found it, and that was all that mattered to her, she had a wedding reception to get to, after all.  
  
Right before they entered, they heard the best man, Nicholas Flamel announce, "It is with my greatest pleasure that I announce to you the new Mr. and Mrs. Albus Dumbledore!" and amongst a roar of applause, they entered the craziest scene they had ever seen (no pun intended).  
  
Thousands of people, Hogwarts students, graduated students, Ministry members, long-lost acquaintances, you name it, stood inside the Great Hall cheering and whistling as they walked through the crouds.  
  
Flabbergasted, Minerva turned to Albus and said, "Where did all these people come from?" and was answered with a barely audible, "I have no idea!"  
  
Soon, the band began to play their first dance as husband and wife, but of course, got the song completely wrong. Instead of playing, "Have I Told You Lately that I Love You" by an old muggle singer named Rod Stewart, found for them by young Arthur Weasley, they began to play some ridiculously fast-paced song that no one could even dance to.  
  
"Madeline, what the hell is going on?!" Minerva hollered when she saw the woman trying to slip past her.  
  
"Well it wasn't all me, you know! Your eldest brother came up with the idea of inviting everyone. We decided that you deep down really longed for a huge wedding, so we decided to surprise you with a compromise: a huge reception! Plus, now it will be easier for you two to slip away when you want to, if you know what I mean." she trailed off, winked, and ran away before Minerva could start to fuss.  
  
She gave up as Madeline scampered away and just sighed, saying to herself, "only my family."  
  
The rest of the night went without trouble, for the most part. There was one incident involving Peeves, a turkey, and water balloons, but most guests didn't even want to know at that point, they were having too much fun. When it was time to cut the cake, a towering seven-layer pastry masterpiece, everyone was quite excited. Some because they wanted a piece, because they were "damned greedy bastards" in the words of Anthony Lupin, but most just wanted to see the couple smash cake in each other's faces. Lavinia Snape walked up to Minerva right before she left to cut it, and with her sons Severus and Sebastian whispered, "get him good, Min." before saying her goodbyes and bringing the two boys home.  
  
In tradition, after the first piece of cake was cut y the bride and groom, Albus gently fed a bite to his wife. After she swallowed it, she picked up the fork, cut a piece, took it in her hand and smashed it into his mouth, causing him to cough and splutter in surprise. Laughing, they kissed, and about five seconds later pulled apart suddenly to a big "SPLAT!" and seeing the remains of their cake lying across the entire floor. Above them hovered a cackling Peeves, looking ecstatic about causing the newest bit of mischief. He zoomed away when Albus seemed to be trying to burn him with his eyes.  
  
All was silent for a moment, people looking on tentatively because it looked as if Minerva was about to burst into tears. Instead she began to laugh hysterically, and for a good five minutes just couldn't stop. ("It must be the stress of things," whispered Madeline to Albus when she saw that he looked worried. "Don't worry, you've still got a good year left in her before she goes completely off her rocker.")  
  
Still giggling, she slowly led him out of the chaos after one last dance. In the hallway, she pressed herself against a wall and again began to laugh wildly for another minute or two, before she began to speak.  
  
"Sorry, it was just too much. I didn't want to give into the fact that my wedding wasn't as I wanted it to be at all, but then I thought to myself, 'Yes it was, it was perfect, it was just the reception that was like a damned circus.' So I did what I knew how to: I laughed. I couldn't help myself."  
  
"It's quite alright my dear, really," he said. "Now come on, let's go get our suitcases. We're off to quite an extravagant trip, don't forget."  
  
"How could I? Switzerland to Italy to the French Riviera. No better trip could I have planned myself."  
  
"Yes, quite a trip indeed. First we go to Zurich, and then transfer to the Lucerne region for two days, and then it's off to Italy, what a country. First to Verona, where we will stay for a day, then to Venice for two days, then Rome for two days, then to Florence for two days, then a transfer to Pisa, and then we will arrive at the French Riviera, where we will stay for another two days and visit Monaco, Eze and Nice. Then we come back here for more teaching. What a trip indeed." Albus smiled to his wife. This honeymoon had been his surprise for her, and a better trip she couldn't have imagined. They both could barely wait. For obvious reasons, of course, but they were also eager to go to Rome and see all the incredible historical sites, for both muggles and wizards alike.  
  
He took her hand and slowly began to walk back to his office, where their portkey and bags were being kept for the time being. They would write a small goodbye note, for Madeline or Meredith or Severus to find, and then be on their way.  
  
Strolling through the quiet hallways was more than enough to relax Minerva McGonagall after any hectic day teaching classes, but add Albus Dumbledore to the mix, and she was lost. She stopped by a big bay window outlooking the lake, whose water glistened with moonlight from the full moon. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and swayed back and forth a bit to a song barely audible from the Great Hall, all the while kissing the top of her head. Neither could believe that they had actually married the other, each thinking that they were too lucky. She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew she was moving again, but her feet weren't on the ground. Minerva decided that she must have fallen asleep on her feet, being as exhausted as she was from today's events. She shifted her weight to signal that she was awake, turning herself to look deep into his loving blue eyes, and he smiled down at her.  
  
"You fell asleep," he whispered. "You looked too cute to wake up, so I carried you instead."  
  
"I figured," she replied, and nuzzled her face back into his shoulder as he opened the door, stepped into his office and gently put her down on a couch.  
  
He bent down to pick up the portkey and she saw the perfect opportunity to play with him a bit. Quick as a flash, she grabbed the hat off of his head- his favorite hat he owned-and began to run around the room with it.  
  
"Minerva!" he bellowed in mock-anger. "Give me back my lucky hat!"  
  
"Lucky? How is this damned old thing lucky?" she asked, running around the couch. He leapt over it to corner her, trying all the while to snatch it back from her.  
  
"It's the hat I was wearing when I first met you, and the hat I was wearing when I first asked you out, and the hat I was wearing when I realized that I wanted to marry you, and the hat I was wearing when I proposed to you. Each of those experiences appears to have been of a positive outcome, so I think the term 'lucky' may be given to the 'damned' hat."  
  
But in his little speech she had managed to escape from his clutched yet again, and was scampering across the room. He ran after her and she headed to go around the couch again, but unfortunately for her, he had a different plan. Without warning, he tackled her onto the couch, rolled onto the floor with her, and pried the hat from her hands, kissing every finger as he did so.  
  
"So sorry dearest, but you must learn: you can never mess with this hat."  
  
"Ok, ok, I've learnt my lesson. Can we please go now?" she smiled up at him, for he was still lying on top of her.  
  
All at once he had the strangest urge to just lean down and kiss her and never ever stop. So, trusting his brain, for it never seemed to fail him before, he did. She was quite surprised, but soon was kissing him back, wrapping her arms around his neck as she did so.  
  
They stayed in this position for who knows how long, and when they looked back at it many years later, neither knew how they ever even got to their hotel room in Switzerland, for neither remembered touching the portkey. But one of them must have, for they arrived on time, and to this day Minerva McGonagall-Dumbledore, McGonagall in the classroom but Dumbledore to those who knew, would still blush when she thought about her wedding night.  
  
*****************  
  
"Alright, so it was funny, but not that funny. Plus, I got my piece of the cake, so I really didn't care anymore. I just wanted to get out of there."  
  
"Yes, Minerva, I'm sure you did," Madeline smiled at her. Minerva threw a pillow at her face.  
  
Minerva moved to the couch and laid her head down on her best friend Meredith's shoulder. Madeline came to sit on the other side of her and gave her an encouraging hug. Poppy smiled at them from the other side of Meredith. It was just like old times, it was. The four of them, seemingly inseparable, sitting on a couch late at night, talking about anything they could string into a coherent sentence.  
  
A/N 2: I know, I know, you don't want another blurb from me, but I have to. The trip I described Minerva and Albus going on I am going on next April vacation with school, yay! Felt you needed to know that. So uhm yeah, review, and I'll love ya! Aren't you proud that it's soooo much longer than the previous chapters? Yeah, I thought you would be. And don't forget, I still need to know how to keep words italicized! Thanks guys, I hope you liked it! But if you didn't, please feel free to tell me why. (Aww but don't be too mean, or I'll cry. Tehe jk but please, R&R!) 


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